The Whispers of the Gods Had Never Departed.

Murata Himeko is exceptional and resilient; she is the kind of warrior who can smile even on the battlefield before her death and calmly detonate a suicide bomb.

She had long since disregarded life and death, though sometimes she inevitably felt a little fear; the coldness of death could easily crush a person's moral compass.

But for some reason, she sometimes felt that dying in battle might not be such a bad ending.

Murata Himeko certainly didn't intend to die; rather, her will to live was so strong and persistent that it was frightening to ordinary people.

She still had many promises and wishes that she hadn't been able to fulfill, so even when faced with a certain death, Murata Himeko would struggle desperately, even if it might look terrible.

But sometimes, like when she stands on the balcony facing the boundless night, drinking cheap canned beer, the bitter and icy taste rushes into her throat.

The ground was littered with empty cans, and a slight burning sensation would gradually spread throughout her body. At this moment, the sea breeze on her face and the crescent moon hanging high in the sky would make her smile and sigh.

If... if there really is an afterlife.

Going somewhere to accompany them might be a good choice.

How many people would actually like such a world and such a life?

The comfortable first half of my life has created a huge disconnect between me and the present.

Two completely opposite paths, two extreme lives.

The reason that led Murata Himeko down this path of no return may still be the memory she can never let go of.

But I won't regret it.

Step by step onto the battlefield, surviving to this day, in the time it took for a mere mortal to barely climb to where she is now, Murata Himeko has lost and gained so much.

But if you regret it, you're negating the friendship you once had with those comrades.

That's the only way.

Those were some of the few memories she could cherish in her heart; the less a person has, the more she will treasure it.

Just like Nishikujo Sara only smokes one brand of cigarettes and the strange dolls on the table that don't fit her personality.

Murata Himeko was the same way; she wasn't such an excessive drinker before.

But now she has become addicted to alcohol, and almost every possible storage space in the house is filled with liquor.

French brandy, Scottish whisky, Russian vodka, Cuban rum, Shenzhou baijiu... you can find almost every type of liquor in the world in this store.

There was nothing we could do; that person said it before he died.

She felt a little regretful that she hadn't had the chance to taste all the wines in the world.

Murata Himeko would have to drink it for her.

See, she's such a fool.

People you consider important will remember even a casual remark from you and won't forget it.

Besides, those were his final farewell words.

As a result, Murata Himeko became a complete alcoholic.

Later, she understood why the other person liked alcohol so much; perhaps in such a world, being perpetually drunk was the wise thing to do.

But that person wasn't like a fool, willing to go through fire and water for the sake of protecting the world.

In the end, her wings were broken, and she fell onto the battlefield amidst dust and blood, bringing her life to a close.

This is always the fate of Valkyrie.

Murata Himeko is another example.

Death can take many forms, but if she had a choice, as a woman, she would still prefer to die in a more poetic way.

Like a withered butterfly, like foam submerged in the ocean, or perhaps like the last ray of sunlight disappearing before darkness, that might be a good analogy.

Perhaps that's asking too much? Who could possibly die like that?

The woman laughed, as if she herself found her thoughts pretentious and ridiculous.

She casually tossed the empty can aside; the aluminum can made a crisp sound on the ground before rolling away silently.

Murata Himeko huddled in the corner of the room. With the curtains drawn shut, the dim light could only outline her silhouette. The white shirt she wore as pajamas was the only clothing she was wearing, and large swathes of her fair skin were exposed in the darkness. Her long, slender legs, completely naked, were straight and shapely.

She hugged her legs, her well-developed figure causing her soft breasts to curve into a taut arc, and her loose shirt revealing a hint of alluring whiteness.

The woman shook her head, and some of her loose red hair fell down, partially obscuring her skin, yet adding a touch of subtle allure.

Even as a simple woman, Murata Himeko is very charming.

What appears unkempt on others becomes a way for her to exude charm.

Murata Himeko leaned her face to the side in her arms, her Amber eyes filled with intoxication, but beneath this hazy state, a sharp, clear-headedness was hidden.

Ultimately, she couldn't bring herself to completely indulge herself; the Murata Himeko's sense of self.

As a teacher and captain of the Hyperion, even with Theresa Awakened, she cannot be too willful.

But given her personality, she wouldn't even indulge herself like this at this time.

But for her, Su Qing'an was truly special.

From the very beginning, Murata Himeko was extremely cautious in her preparations before even making any contact with Su Qing'an.

She put on youthful and beautiful makeup, applied light-colored lipstick, and wore approachable clothes, adjusting her smiling expression in front of the mirror.

Such behavior was simply unbelievable to her.

It wasn't just out of guilt or a sense of responsibility; she genuinely treated the boy as family.

Treat them as your only family in the world.

As I gently stroked the boy's head, a strangely bright tenderness and warmth welled up within me.

But now he won't wake up, and this time I still failed to protect him.

This has happened three times already, and every single time.

The first time was in Changkong City, where the Third Honkai Outbreak had occurred.

The second time was in Changkong City, where they encountered Pseudo-Herrscher.

The third time was at the St. Freya Academy.

It was like passing by time and time again; the boy was getting further and further away from me.

Now he lies on his bed, bathed in sea breeze and sunshine, like a book of poems that will never be turned.

"Thud."

The bubbling of bubbles and the tearing sound of metal filled the room. The woman glanced at a pile of empty cans carelessly discarded to the side, tilted her head back, and gulped down the liquor.

One more bottle, please.

Anyway, she's unlikely to get drunk from this kind of low-alcohol beer.

Even alcohol couldn't fill the void left by her broken heart; she couldn't even immerse herself in a dream, and even simple escapism was a luxury.

Close your eyes and let the darkness completely engulf your vision.

But for some reason, the darkness vanished in an instant, and a large amount of sunlight shone in. The window was also opened, and the wind blowing through made her skin, which was wet with wine, feel a little cool.

In a daze, a familiar voice entered my ears:

"Himeko, your room is still such a mess."

Murata Himeko opened her eyes in a daze. A boy in a light-colored hospital gown came into view. He took the aluminum can from her hand, and the woman did not resist at all during the process.

The boy kept rambling on and on:

"Didn't I tell you we shouldn't drink like this?"

He immediately ignored Himeko's reaction, put the aluminum can aside, and pulled the thin blanket off the bed to cover her, obscuring a large expanse of her fair skin exposed to the air.

He said helplessly:

"Even in your own room, you should at least care about your appearance. Himeko is a beauty, yet she's so sloppy."

The boy seemed to be reflecting on his actions and condemning himself:

"Although it was a bit wrong of me to come in without permission."

Murata Himeko didn't speak. She pursed her lips, abruptly opened her arms, ignored the loose blanket, and hugged the boy in front of her.

She whispered, her voice choked with sobs, in his ear:

"Welcome back, little one."

The misty fog in those Amber eyes condensed into tears that rolled down onto the boy's shoulder. This cool yet warm touch left Su Qing'an speechless as he hugged Himeko back.

A thousand words can ultimately be reduced to a single sentence.

He said:

"I'm sorry, I made you worry."

The woman's strong smell of alcohol and light perfume filled my nostrils; she simply shook her head silently, as if suppressing her pent-up emotions.

But Murata Himeko understood that no one could blame Su Qing'an.

Having survived an unknown and deadly battle, and barely regaining consciousness in the present world, he should absolutely not be met with blame.

"Yeah, it really gave me a lot of worry."

"But you did a great job, you must have worked very hard."

She took a deep breath, gently stroked Su Qing'an's hair, and smiled at him.

The tears in Murata Himeko's eyes hadn't been wiped away yet, and the glint in her eyes, her slightly reddened eyes, and the curve of her lips made Su Qing'an momentarily stunned.

The woman's pure care and affection made him feel both uncomfortable and genuinely warm.

Even the most stubborn and headstrong person would have no choice but to admit defeat in such a situation.

Because if there really is someone in this world who cares about you so deeply, who worries about you, and who cries for you, then it's a real possibility.

How could you possibly bear to let this relationship suffer even the slightest bit?

We must accept it completely and honestly.

He nodded, and said softly, as if complaining:

"Yes, we've already tried our best."

"To be alive is quite lucky."

Indeed, this was the case. If Fu Hua hadn't chosen to use Udu-dust, Su Qing'an would likely have met his true death while still unconscious.

But such an ending might simply be death.

Or perhaps it's just a game spoken of by the gods, and it's only just begun.

He's already died twice. According to the game's rules, the first two deaths were during the newbie protection period.

The first trial was a test by the gods, but even now he still doesn't understand what exactly the so-called trial tested.

The second was the announcement of the rules of the game by the gods. Although many questions remained, at least they understood their situation.

The third time has yet to come.

But Su Qing'an understood that if he died casually, he would definitely not be resurrected casually.

Atropos's words prove one point: the gods do not like cheap deaths.

It's impossible to use the so-called resurrection permission as a cheat code. The greatest value of this thing is that the gods can drag him into an endless cycle of reincarnation at will, as long as Su Qing'an can still provide them with pleasure in the eyes of the gods.

Then Su Qing'an will forever be a doll that will never break.

A doll?

The boy silently recited the ironic metaphor, yet an inextinguishable flame burned in his dark eyes.

The frozen Mind Lake became increasingly clear and serene.

A heart as clear as ice is a bright mirror.

He was getting closer and closer to that dangerous step. The moment Rin became the hilt of the Divine Key, the accumulation of his swordsmanship took another big step forward.

This time, Su Qing'an's mindset was completely different from when he was at the half-step Sword Heart stage last time.

At that time, Su Qing'an always felt that she still had a way out.

Maybe he can continue running a deserted coffee shop in a remote little town.

From now on, watch the clouds drift and the world unfold before you, a vast and boundless expanse.

Nothing concerns him; he could just drift through life like this, doing whatever he wants.

Then why risk your life, right?

To abandon someone with such a potential future is utterly foolish.

Later he realized that perhaps he really was a bit beyond redemption.

Clearly, after leaving Changkong City, Su Qing'an had a way out behind him, yet he still embarked on a path destined to be stained with blood and fire.

He no longer had no other choice. Unlike being forced to stay in Changkong City to prepare for the Honkai outbreak, staying at the St. Freya Academy was his own decision.

The boy had a premonition that if he seriously chose to escape and live an ordinary life, the gods would not bother him.

Things like what happened in Changkong City will not happen again. If you deliberately force someone to make all the choices, the results will naturally be predictable.

The game the gods desired would not be something so boring; the outcome resulting from Su Qing'an's own choices and will was what He truly wanted to see.

Whether that will be interesting is another matter entirely.

The Honkai that Su Qing'an was forced to experience was likely the gods' hope that he would grow and become more interesting during this Honkai.

It would be ridiculous to even consider someone like that as an enemy.

Su Qing'an could neither defeat the gods nor escape them.

It doesn't matter.

Rather than worrying about things in the future, Su Qing'an is more focused on the things in front of her.

The boy raised his head, his handsome face bathed in soft light, his expression serious and determined.

He said:

"Himeko, I will protect you."

Himeko found it somewhat amusing that this child, having just escaped death, had uttered words that should only be spoken from his own perspective.

It's really hard to know what to say.

Finally, the woman gave her answer with a helpless smile:

"That's something an adult should say, you idiot."

Perhaps it will be a long time before Murata Himeko understands the weight of the boy's words.

But the future at that time is already unpredictable.